Jun 19
16
THE OUTCOME
Romans 10: 15:…as it is written, how beautiful are the feet of them that
preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!
With these words Christ foretold the outcome that he would produce in
the heart of each of his saints by calling us through the means of
preaching (Is 52: 6-8)
In that day when Christ sends his preacher and calls his lost sheep
through the preaching of the gospel, Christ said, “My people shall know
my name: therefore they shall know in that day that I am he that doth
speak: behold, it is I.” From that day forward, the sinner Christ saves
through this means loves the Lord Jesus, the Lord’s preacher and the
Lord’s people because he beholds how they sacrificed to send him the
gospel through which Christ saved him. He esteems assembling with his
brethren under the preaching of the gospel to be so priceless that he
cannot forsake it. Through this means Christ has fitly framed (cemented)
him together inseparably with Christ and his brethren. He values the
preaching of Christ so highly that when faced with the shortcomings of
his brethren, he forebears and forgives. He endeavors to keep the unity
of the Spirit in the bond of peace because he needs to hear Christ
preached above all else. Having experienced that the preaching of the
gospel of Christ is truly the power of God unto salvation, he grows to
be a generous, cheerfull giver because he knows the need of sending the
gospel to other lost sheep. Christ said this would be the outcome that
he would produce through this means when he said his people would say
with hearty agreement, “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of
him that bringeth good tidings, that publish peace; that bringeth good
tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy
God reigneth!”
This is the difference God makes between those who must have the
preaching of the gospel and those who can leave it! He who imagines he
taught himself simply does not value the preaching of the gospel, does
not value Christ’s preacher nor his people, therefore, he cannot commit
himself to a local church to be used of Christ to love his brethren by
supporting the preaching of Christ crucified. But that sinner saved
through this means esteems assembling with his brethren under the
preaching of Christ to be more necessary than his temporal bread; he
must have Christ; he must have the preaching of Christ; therefore, he
considers it his richest blessing and greatest privilege to be used of
his Head to provide the gospel for brethren he loves! The wisdom of God
in using his people to send his preacher with his gospel to save his
lost sheep grows more amazing to his people each day! Lord Jesus, may
you use this means to add another lost sheep to your church today and
ever keep this esteem in our hearts!
Clay Curtis.